Anthera's varespladib meets primary endpoint in phase 2 FRANCIS trial for the treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome

News | 05. 06. 2009

Anthera Pharmaceuticals

 
- Favorable results for secondary endpoints support outcomes benefit

HAYWARD, CA – May 6, 2009 – Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing anti-inflammatory drugs, announced today that FRANCIS (Fewer Recurrent Acute coronary events with Near-term Cardiovascular Inflammation Suppression), a clinical trial designed to examine the impact of 500mg of varespladib when administered to patients within 96 hours of an Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) event, met its primary endpoint of a reduction in Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C). All patients in the FRANCIS trial received once daily doses of 80mg of Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium), plus 500mg of varespladib or matching placebo. Varespladib is a potent and highly selective oral inhibitor of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), an inflammatory enzyme implicated in ACS, vascular inflammation, atherosclerosis and adverse lipid profiles.